GROOVE U’s Annual High School Battle of the Bands Competition Is Back!

COLUMBUS, Ohio (October 7, 2015) - Instaband is back! That’s right, GROOVE U is gearing up for its 4th annual Instaband competition — Central Ohio’s premier high school battle of the bands. Registration is now open online at www.instaband.org, and submissions will be accepted through Monday, December 7.The winning artist not only receives bragging rights as the best high school band in Columbus, but also wins a recording contract complete with a studio EP, music video, concert booking and graphic design. That’s what Instaband is about, becoming an instant band, and boosting your artistry to the next level.“GROOVE U encourages local teens to create original music, and Instaband provides a platform for them to perform on a much larger scale,” said Dwight Heckelman, Director of GROOVE U’s revolutionary music industry career program. “Our students produce Instaband from start to finish, providing real-world, hands-on experience, just one of the many GROOVE U advantages that we deliver every day on our creative campus.”Each year, GROOVE U students select one or more beneficiaries to receive proceeds from Instaband. For 2016, local music education nonprofit, Music Loves Ohio (MLO), has been named as the sole beneficiary. MLO is dedicated to providing funding and opportunities for underserved youth in central Ohio to pursue their passion for music.Instaband is open to all central Ohio high school bands, duos and solo artists in all genres, including: pop, rock ‘n roll, metal, rap, hip-hop, singer/songwriter, country, trance/ electronica, Christian/gospel, etc. Submission deadline for participants is Monday, December 7. Visit the Instaband website at www.instaband.org for official contest rules, submission instructions and other important info.Twenty up and coming bands, selected by an independent panel of judges, will compete in one of two semifinals held at GROOVE U this coming February. The East Semifinal is February 5, and the West Semifinal is February 19. The top four bands from each semifinal will advance to the Instaband final on February 26, along with two fan-voted “wild card” bands. Bands and artists will be judged on musicality, performance, style and creativity, with winners determined by 60% panel of industry judges and 40% audience vote.GROOVE U hasn’t left the fans out. Doors open early at each semifinal and the final for fans to experience the Instafan Expo. Music stores, skate shops, apparel stores and other partners will be on hand. Fans can try out music instruments, talk with recording studio reps, play video games, take a pic in the photo booth and hang with the bands.Instaband offers something for everyone, whether you want to participate as a band, attend as a fan or exhibit at the Instafan Expo. Get the schedule of events and learn how to get involved by visiting www.instaband.org.

About GROOVE UGROOVE U is a revolutionary music industry career program located in the Short North Arts District of Columbus, Ohio. The two-year program uses a career-centered approach to learning developed by active industry professionals, and is guided by the philosophy that the music industry is creatively engaged, apprenticeship-based and relationship-driven. Classes are small and personalized and offer both broad, foundational knowledge and specialized areas of music study in: production, live, business, video and interactive. With a 4:1 lab:class ratio, students have plenty of hands-on opportunities to hone in their skills. Students can directly plug-in to both the local and global music communities through trips to music conferences, on-campus speakers and two guided internships.The school officially opened its 30,000-sq. ft. creative campus in September 2012, and is currently enrolling for Fall 2015. Want to connect with us? Please contact GROOVE U if you have internship opportunities, would like to sponsor a student or want to be considered as a guest speaker. To learn more, schedule a campus tour and one-on-one meeting today.